Promises
by Angelicat2
Summary: Zuko hates promises. He speculates about how almost everyone has broken their promises to him at some point. Then the Avatar came and broke his promise too. Takes place after Aang and friends get away on Appa in the South Pole.


He should have seen this coming. In fact, he should have predicted it beforehand.

Promises. He hated them. Look at it. Promises have gotten him nowhere. He's learned that people can promise anything, yet it doesn't mean it will happen.

Just like how his mom had promised to always be there for him.

 _"I promise I'll always look after you, my little prince."_

But she'd left or...not going down that road. She promised and she broke it. Just like anyone else in his life has.

His little sister promised she'd play nice with him as their mother scolded her.

 _"Mom," the whine of her voice was heard as she suddenly grinned, "I promise that I'll play with Zuzu."_

By the end of the day, when Lady Ursa had turned her back, Azula had given him some fresh bruises and burns to cover the old, still-healing ones. So much for promises...

'But Azula always lies.'

The thought ran rapid through his mind. Ever since he was young, Azula had always lied about everything. She lied to their mom to get out of trouble, she lied to their dad to get him into trouble, and she lied to him to mess with his head.

 _"That's not funny, Azula!" A younger Zuko exclaimed as he slammed his eyes shut, "Dad wouldn't do that to me."_

 _"Dad's going to kill you!" The childish laughter haunted his dreams._

He remembered whispers of promises in the night when he was a baby. Little words such as "safe," "protected," "powerful," and the "best." They told of how he would be a great ruler one day. How he was going to be even more powerful than his previous ancestors. How he was safe within these four walls and big castle steaming with fine silk tapestries and burning fires that glowed red, yellow, and orange.

But it was all a lie. He was safer out in his banishment in this ship than at home. He wasn't powerful. Not even close to Azula...Maybe the fire sages had it wrong. And a great ruler? Forget that, he couldn't even get his honor back. How was he supposed to lead the people of his nation?

Throughout his life, one person never made him any promises though. His uncle.

Zuko had to admit, the fool did like tea too much and made no sense half of the time with his cynical phrases and jokes. He loved playing Pai Sho just a little too much (but then again, Zuko didn't understand anything about the game) And considering how he kept losing his lotus tile, Zuko was _this_ close to being angry.

But he just couldn't be mad. The man had always stick by his hopeless, stupid side throughout his life. He couldn't remember a time when Uncle was not around. The man was like a father to him although he was never going say that to him less he get a "Told you," in response.

And the aging firebender never lied nor deceived him. He never promised anything to Zuko, whether out of personal issues and beliefs or the knowledge that Zuko despised promises more than he feared never getting his honor back.

So why was this one promise bothering him so much?

It came from the enemy. It came from a child! Why had he been so willing to trust the brat's word?

Maybe because he thought the child would have some sense of honor. Or maybe it had something to do with fact that said child was the Avatar. Weren't Avatars supposed to keep their promises? Weren't they good? Didn't good stick to its own word? But then again, no one ever stuck to their word.

He sighed as they got the ship unstuck. There was quite a lot of damage to the ship, and he didn't like the fact that they were in the middle of the ocean. More precisely, icy cold water that grabs at anyone and pulls him or her down into its depths until they drown on salty liquid. If drowning doesn't get you, the hypothermia does. Either way, anybody who falls in is doomed.

"Where are we going, sir?"

Where were they going to go? By law, Zuko was supposed to go back to that village and burn it and everyone to ashes. The Avatar broke his end of the promise when he tried to escape. It was only fit that Zuko go back on his word to teach the child about how a real contract was done.

But he couldn't do it. His father was right. He was weak. But he couldn't destroy a whole village because of one immature idiot walking around as the Avatar. Besides, he had better things to do like fixing the ship and chasing after the Avatar afterwards.

"Get us to the nearest Earth Kingdom port so we can repair the damage."

The man ran off to report to Lt. Jee. I scowled at the still ice-packed holes before going to my room. Lighting some candles, I concentrated on the flames. Anymore, I think this is the only thing I can trust. Then I remembered that fateful day, the heat spreading over my eye, and I paused. The lights flickered before settling down. Of course, I couldn't be afraid of the flames I held. I really wasn't scared of the fire. So what or who was I scared of?

I growled as I got more angry. Grabbing one of my daul blades hanging on the wall, I practiced swinging it around in perfect circles. If only life could go back to when it was good.

But no...It can't until I can get that Avatar. I wasn't going to underestimate the boy again. I was going to capture him and regain my honor! And next time, I won't trust any promises that are made...Especially by the Avatar...I will capture the monk even if it kills me!


End file.
